A personal blog of NC Insurance Commissioner Wayne Goodwin for folks interested in his work as state Commissioner of Insurance, North Carolina politics, history & current events, and the occasional literary reference.

Tuesday, March 9, 2010

The Merits of an Elected State Insurance Commissioner

Sean Carr of A.M. Best recently interviewed me and a number of my fellow elected state Insurance Commissioners from around the country.

Among my comments were:

“Having independence from a governor, or having independence from whomever would make an appointment, is vital,” said North Carolina Insurance Commissioner Wayne Goodwin. The first-term Democrat said having an elected commissioner “is an extra level of consumer protection.”

More than ever as Americans debate the need for appropriate regulation of insurance and how to contain medical costs and stave off any and all unnecessary insurance premium hikes proposed by the insurance industry, having an elected Insurance Commissioner keeps the pulse of the people plugged into the process. In many states where the position is elected you see some of the best rates and some of the strongest consumer protections and stable markets.

Having an elected Insurance Commissioner also prevents an insurance industry executive or anti-consumer maven from appointment by a hypothetical governor seeking to please gubernatorial contributors or supporters.

Keep in mind, too, that North Carolina - historically and through this day - has zealously opposed centralized authority. This fact explains why it took two hundred years before a Governor could seek re-election and serve eight years, and why it took even longer for a Tar Heel governor to have veto authority, and why for many, many years the citizens of this State have demanded the right to vote on as many statewide offices as possible on our long ballot.

Just as I see it for Insurance Commissioner, having these elected positions is another level of protection for consumers and taxpayers.

About Me

Wayne Goodwin is the elected Insurance Commissioner of North Carolina, and also the State Fire Marshal. He was elected to four terms in the North Carolina House of Representatives. He has also served as President of the Young Democrats of North Carolina and in countless other official capacities on the local, state and national levels. Wayne also served in the past as Assistant Commissioner of Insurance for North Carolina. His wife, former State Representative Melanie Wade Goodwin, succeeded him in the General Assembly for three terms of her own. They have one daughter, Madison, and a son, Jackson, named respectively after the 4th and 7th U.S. Presidents.